Brad Stevens reached historic Boston Celtics spending milestone with Sam Hauser extension

Sam Hauser's four-year, $45 million extension was the cherry on top of the Boston Celtics' billion dollar cap cake. As NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg points out, Brad Stevens has now handed out 10 figures worth of salary to the team's top eight of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, and Hauser.

"Move over, Scott Foster," Forsberg prefaced before saying, "The real 'Extender' resides in Boston. After agreeing to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has now inked seven contract extensions in excess of $1 billion in little more than one year’s time.

"Add in Al Horford’s extension in late 2022, and every member of Boston’s top eight from the 2023-24 title team has received an extension from Stevens over the past 20 months."

The Celtics don't have anyone to extend next offseason now with Hauser locked down. Of course, Luke Kornet will once again be a free agent, and there will be other contract unknowns. But the primary players are long-term locks barring an unforeseen trade.

Boston Celtics ownership bailing on big bills Brad Stevens let them

After being aggressive in positioning the Cs for a title with three major trades -- the Marcus Smart-Porzingis swap, the Holiday deal, and the White swap with the San Antonio Spurs at the 2022 trade deadline --, Stevens made a major shift to maintaining the status quo with the job now done for the first time under his watch.

Stevens stamped his mark as President of Basketball Operations, but in the process, it was expensive. And not every owner footing the bill wants to pay for that investment; whether it becomes a dynasty or not.

Wyc Grousbeck is looking to be out by 2028. At that point, he will have already given so much to the league for the privilege of rostering such a seamlessly-fitting group.

His successor should be prepared to dole out even more.